Simmons Fund for Idopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Glossary

Download the Glossary of Terms (PDF)

Search by letter A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

S

Sarcoidosis: Disease of unknown cause characterized by the formation of granulomatous inflammation in many organs

SCCOR: Specialized Center of Clinically Oriented Research

Scleroid: Hard or hardened, indurated

Scleroma: An abnormally hard patch of bodily tissue

Sclerosis: Thickening or hardening of a body part from the abnormal accumulation of connective tissue

SCOR: Specialized Center for Research

Sequela: A pathological condition resulting from a disease

Sepsis: A condition caused by the bacterial contamination of blood from a festering wound; also known as blood poisoning

Septum: A thin partition or membrane between two cavities

Silicosis: Lung condition from the inhalation of silica particles

Somatic Cell: A bodily cell other than a germ cell

Spirograph: An instrument for registering the depth and rapidity of respiratory movements

Spirometer: An instrument for measuring the volume of air entering and leaving the lungs

Stellate: Arranged or shaped like a star, radiating from a center

Stem cells: Cells from which any type of cell may derive

Stroma: Supporting tissue of organs

Surfactant: Surface active substance that reduces surface forces of water in the lung

T

Tachypnea: Excessively rapid respiration

T cells: Small white blood cells that orchestrate immune defenses

TGF-beta: Transforming growth factor-beta, a factor that is central to wound repair

Therapeutic: Having healing or curative powers

Thoracotomy: Surgical incision of the chest wall

Titers: Concentration of a substance in solution

TLC: Total lung capacity, the total amount of air in the lung at full inspiration

TNF-alpha: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a cytokine that amplifies inflammation

Tomography: Any of several techniques for making x-ray pictures of a predetermined plane section of a solid object by blurring out the images of other planes

Tubercle: Nodule or swelling, lesion of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis: Lesions of the lung, bone caused by a microorganism called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

U

UIP: Usual Interstitial Pneumonia, the abnormal pattern of lung tissue associated with IPF

V

VC: Vital capacity of lung, the amount of air that can be maximally expelled after full inspiration

Virus: Submicroscopic microbe that can live only in live cells

W

X

Y

Z

Search by letter A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Top